In Raleigh-Durham, singledom isn't only about studying, though most singles living in the area are in one way or another affiliated with Research Triangle Park, the triangle formed by Duke University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State. The Triangle, with its major computer and biotech concerns, thrives as a modern alternative to the region's former association: tobacco. Singles can head out for a bite at top-notch restaurants in the area (some located in former tobacco warehouses), catch a Triple-A Durham Bulls baseball game, see a Broadway musical revival at the North Carolina Theater or view ancient Egyptian artifacts at the North Carolina Museum of Art. And Chapel Hill's Franklin Street remains the epitome of a college town, replete with Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and Bruegger's Bagels. For outdoorsy types, Raleigh-Durham is just a three-hour drive from the beach on one side and the Blue Ridge Mountains on the other. Expect nice weather: The area's temperature is warmer than 50 degrees nine months of the year, and more than 60 degrees for more than half of it. —Allison Fass

Methodology: Our overall ranking is based on the sum of the rankings within seven separate categories for the 40 biggest U.S. metros. The data used to create these rankings came from Forbes, the U.S. Census, ACCRA, Woods & Poole, AOL City Guides/Digital City, Richard Florida and Kevin Stolarick, Catalytix and Carnegie Mellon University.The first six categories are given equal weight, while the buzz factor is given less weight.

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